Watermelon

I opened my front door and walked out onto the porch this morning...and discovered a watermelon. A neighbor had picked it from his garden and carried it to us. Several weeks ago I was off-island and I stopped at several fruit and vegetable stands. I wanted to buy a watermelon...to eat...and to use for a watermelon seed spitting contest. I was shocked to discover that everyone was selling seedless watermelons.

Well, the melon on my doorstep is definitely the seeded variety. So finally we will have our seed spitting contest!

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

"Island is Home...

...to 10 Generations of the Howard Family." That's the title of a two minute video produced by Scott Mason of the Raleigh TV station, WRAL. Follow the link below to watch the video:

http://www.wral.com/lifestyles/travel/video/5676528/

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

Wednesday Morning

I didn't get to my computer this morning. Instead Lachlan came over for breakfast (just cereal and fruit). Then he joined Lou Ann & me on the pizer to welcome the new day. Before long it was time to get our bathing suits on, pack some snacks, and get on our bikes. We were ready for an excursion to Springer's Point. As usual, we had a great time exploring the plants on the path, then splashing about in the water. On the way back home we stopped at the Community Store for cold drinks before Lachlan's 11 a.m. swim class at the Island Inn.

Lunch was simple. Just peanut butter crackers, cheese, and fruit juice. Lachlan is now at Sundae & Rob's house, playing with Mariah Daisy. And I'm back home catching up on email and other details. Maybe I'll find a few moments to relax in the hammock with my book before working on our Wednesday night Opry show.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

Birthday Presents

July and August seem to be the months when the most islanders have their birthdays. There are often pot luck dinners and other get-togethers to celebrate the birthdays. Lou Ann's birthday was July 22. Mine and Lachlan's is this coming Sunday. Usually there is the traditional cake with candles (which is sometimes not so traditional). Presents are exchanged, but they're often quirky or unusual -- used books, raffle tickets (maybe for a handmade Ocracoke Island quilt), poems, wild flowers, or items from our new thrift store.

Sometimes the best present of all is just seeing "Happy Birthday" and your name written on the chalkboard at the Community Store.

Some birthday trivia -- August is the month of the most birthdays all across the USA. I guess the onset of wintry weather in November has something to do with that.

And a quote from Jean Bucher (whoever that is) -- People who have the most birthdays live the longest.

Happy Birthday to all of our readers who have July or August birthdays!

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

Women's Opry

The women of the OcraFolk Opry are truly wonderful. On Saturday night, for the third year in a row, they treated the Ocracoke community with their talent and enthusiasm. Deepwater Theater on School Road was packed for the 8 pm performance. A dozen and a half women (from school age up) entertained their audience with songs (some original, some traditional, some serious, some hilarious), stories, and poems. Kitty Mitchell even created an oil painting on stage as the show proceeded.

Proceeds were donated to the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

Turtles

Thursday evening Lou Ann & I paid a visit to Frank & Jude's. They live at the very end of a narrow lane, away from summer time activity and traffic. Their property is on the edge of a small waterway that connects to the old slough (near Springer's Point). Across the ditch is marsh and several small hummocks of cedars and live oaks. As we sat on their screened in porch, a single candle burning in a punched tin lantern, enjoying a glass of white wine, and listening to the distant roar of the ocean, we commented on the sense of isolation. We could have been miles from the nearest neighbor.

We stepped out onto the wooden deck several feet above the canal. It was getting dark, but there was still enough light to see the noses of several turtles circling in the water below us. Jude tossed a handful of cat food in their direction. In no time at all dozens of diamond back terrapins were swimming about snapping up the morsels. Jude says as many as four dozen turtles congregate near her house every summer night. In the winter they burrow into the muddy banks and hibernate.

Sometime soon I'm planning on taking Lachlan over to Jude's to watch the turtles.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

Sea Oats

Every time I walk out to the beach (or drive past the row of barrier dunes) this time of year I notice the golden yellow sea oats (Uniola paniculata) swaying in the wind. The dunes are simply covered with them during the warm summer months. They are graceful and beautiful. Because of their deep root system sea oats help stabilize the dunes, and have been designated a protected species.

This wasn't always the case. Years ago, before the boom in coastal area tourism, there was little danger of denuding the natural dunes (the present-day continuous row of dunes parallel with the shoreline is artificial, established in the 1950s to prevent ocean over wash and protect the highway). Before ferry service to the island and paved roads it was just too difficult to get to the beach often. There was no need of legislation to protect the vegetation. When we did venture out to the beach my father showed me how to pull up the sea oats and chew on the tender ends. They were always succulent and sweet.

Actually, it wasn't necessary to walk all the way to the beach for sea oats. Many patches grew on the edge of the village, including in the vicinity of the Island Inn, just a clam shell's throw from our house.

Nowadays I just enjoy looking at the sea oats; I don't eat them.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

So Many Questions & Comments

We've had a bunch of questions and comments lately, and I've decided to answer them all this morning. Here they are:

• "Did residents of Ocracoke Island have television sets in the 50s or 60s ?" Television came to the island about 1953 or 1954. Pinta Williams sold TVs and appliances at a small store on the harbor (about where the Harborside is now) until he died in January of 1954. After that Sid Tolson sold TVs. The reception was extremely poor (sometimes you couldn't get anything at all but "snow") until stations in eastern NC erected taller towers. With the introduction of cable tv that all changed.
  

• Is the Customs House staffed with the Maytag repairman working a second job? " If there were a full-time appliance repairman on Ocracoke he/she wouldn't have time for a second job!
  

• What is the most unusual thing you have found [on the beach]? I'd say the shoes (dozens of them washed up on the beach in the late 1970s) that were destined for Jim Jones' People's Temple in Guyana. They spilled out of a container that was washed overboard from a freighter.
  

• "I was on your May tour the night the lady fainted." This would be a great endorsement for our ghost & history walks, except the young woman fainted at the very beginning of the tour, before I told my first scary story. I've contacted her, and she is fine. I don't know exactly why she fainted, but I don't believe it was anything serious. She is planning to join us again on her next visit to the island (at no charge of course).
  

• "I need a new insurance agent for the house, car, etc. Can you recommend anyone good?" A reader suggested Sharon Gibbs, agent for NC Farm Bureau. She is my insurance agent, and I am very pleased with her service. In fact Sharon located liability insurance for our ghost walks...just in case someone faints after encountering a real ghost!
  

• A reader recently alerted us to this link, about homemade caskets and home funerals: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/21/us/21funeral.html?_r=1&ref=us. On our ghost walks we talk about Miss Fanny Howard who kept her casket in her parlor for seven years. For some future monthly newsletter I'll write more about Ocracoke's long tradition of home and family funerals. Look for it sometime this winter.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

Sunrise

On Monday morning Lou Ann & I took Lachlan out to the beach at 5:30 in the morning. He was bright and cheery, and we walked along the shore in the dark, gazing up in the sky, and out across the ocean. It was cloudy, so we knew the sunrise colors wouldn't be spectacular. But we were immediately captivated by the sparkling gem of Venus and the bright (but fingernail size) moon that peeked through the cloud cover.

The Atlantic glimmered like quicksilver in the early morning light as we spread our blanket (adorned with celestial images) on the sand. Ghost crabs scurried here and there searching for food. Willets and sand pipers foraged at the tide line. As the golden sun emerged from the cloud bank and splashed across the waves we stood for a while just to revel in the beauty, then picked up our blanket and headed back to the Pony Island restaurant for a hearty breakfast.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

Digby

A reader recently asked about island cats. We still have quite a few cats roaming about, but many of the feral felines have been captured and neutered, thanks to OcraCats, concerned citizens, and helpful vets. In recent decades we've also added a number of dogs to our village population. In days gone by dogs were not very popular because most people's chickens were not fenced in, and dogs would chase them down and kill them. I remember well my great-aunt Tressie's concern whenever we'd bring our dog Ginger to the island in the 1950s. Ginger never chased her chickens, and Aunt Tressie always relaxed noticeably when she was finally convinced her chickens were safe.

In 1959 Ruth Carroll wrote a children's book set on Ocracoke Island -- Digby the Only Dog. It is an island classic, with wonderful illustrations of life on Ocracoke a half century ago. Digby is out of print, but it might be available in your local library.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

List & Heel

The other day I was wondering about the words "list" & "heel." I am not a sailor, so I asked Captain Rob of the schooner windfall. I learned that a boat lists, or leans to one side, when cargo or passengers are unevenly distributed on the vessel. If the boat leans to one side because of the action of wind or waves, the vessel is said to heel.

I explained this to Lou Ann as she was reading her latest book, Simple Courage, A True Story of Peril on the Sea, by Frank Delaney, described by Booklist é as "one of the great sea stories of the twentieth century." Moments later she read me passages from the book that discussed listing in great detail. According to Delaney, list comes from the same root as lust, and describes an inclination towards something.

Lou Ann insists that I would love the book (she couldn't put it down). Since my brother brought it to us as one of his favorites also I'll be sure to add it to my queue of books I must read. You might enjoy it also.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

The 1920s

Late Friday afternoon I went to Annabelle's Florist on the back road to pick up a dozen pink roses for Lou Ann (her birthday is next week). Before I left, Chester, who is the florist, pulled out a faded newspaper clipping from the 1920s. The author had visited Ocracoke and was fascinated by the isolated and unique village he found here. He pointed out that there were no roads, just narrow footpaths that meandered from yard to yard. (Actually, there were a few sandy lanes wide enough for a horse and cart.) He mentioned that there were no dogs on the island, and commented on the hundreds of cats. He was fascinated by the lack of crime, and noted that no one locked their doors. He knew that most doors had locks, but learned that almost everyone had lost their keys. He enjoyed popular local dishes of fried fish, shrimp, clams, and vegetables from the garden.

Ocracoke definitely has changed (how could it not), but even though we now have paved roads, automobiles, and a few dogs, the essential spirit of this island still persists, a rare jewel of a community in a fast paced and fast changing world.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

Breakfast

Friday morning I enjoyed breakfast with Charlie Jones and his extended family. Charlie's great-grandfather, Captain George Gregory Howard, built the large house with the widow's walk and red trim which is visible from Howard Street. Charlie's mother, Mary Ruth (Captain Howard's granddaughter), married Swan Quarter native, Sam Jones. Sam was quite enterprising and creative. As a consequence of inventing an improved stoker for steam locomotives in the early years of the twentieth century he eventually came to own Berkeley Machine Works in Norfolk, Virginia.

Sam loved Ocracoke and made many contributions to the community and people of the island. He is remembered for many good deeds, including significant financial assistance to our budding fire department nearly a half century ago, vaccinations for all of our wild ponies when they were first corralled in the 1950s, and major improvements to both island churches. Sam also built several impressive buildings...Berkeley Manor (near the OPS museum), Berkley Castle (now the Castle Bed & Breakfast), and the Homeplace (on the western shore of Silver Lake).

Sam had a mercurial personality, and everyone who remembers him has a story to tell -- how he chose to serve jail time rather than pay taxes he didn't believe he owed, how he built the Castle and other structures without plans or blueprints (he would just tell his crew what he wanted done that day...then tell them to re-do it if he changed his mind the next morning), how he rode his horse into the living room just because he felt like it, or how he'd call Fowler O'Neal at 2 o'clock in the morning from Norfolk, and tell him his pilot was flying him down to the island so Fowler could cut his hair.

Sam died in 1977 and is buried at Springer's Point, next to his favorite horse, Ikey D.

Sam's impact on Ocracoke is immortalized in a local song, Paddy's Holler, written by Walter Howard many years ago, and popularized by his brother Edgar, and later, by Molasses Creek. Some of our long-time visitors to Ocracoke will be familiar with the song.

The fourth verse goes like this:

Now in the olden days nobody offered praise
For anybody livin' up the holler
As the years rolled by, moved in on the sly
Now it's Mrs. Jones of Paddy's Holler.

Mrs. Jones, of course, was Mary Ruth Jones, whose family property was on the edge of Paddy's Holler, and who was Sam Jones' wife.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

More Questions & Answers (re. Medical Issues & Turtles)

Many thanks to all of our readers who have written wishing Lou Ann a speedy recovery. She is slowly adjusting to her limited mobility as the pain gradually decreases.

Readers have asked several questions lately that I am happy to answer:

• Are babies born on Ocracoke Island? It's been a number of years since a baby was born on the island. Women generally leave the island a week or so before their due date and stay near a hospital with family or friends. Sometimes they have to leave in a hurry (it's amazing how quickly the ferries can cross Hatteras Inlet when they're carrying a woman in labor!).
  
• Are emergency medical care needs being met on OI? Absolutely! We have a well trained and dedicated staff of EMTs. Of course, because we are not near a hospital there are certain procedures that must wait (for access to sophisticated equipment or trained medical experts).
  
• Can prescriptions be filled by mail order? Many can. Ocracoke Island has a dispensary (where they can dispense certain medicines prescribed at the clinic), but not a pharmacy. Several pharmacies on the northern Outer Banks will mail prescriptions to Ocracoke.
  
• What is meant by the term "false crawl"? A false crawl occurs when a sea turtle crawls up on the beach during the night looking for a suitable nesting site, but then turns back to the ocean without laying any eggs. She may do this more than once, especially if she is startled (by a human or other animal), or is distracted by noise or lights.
  

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

Broken Bones...and a Hacker!

What a time we've had. Tuesday was Lou Ann's "volunteer day." She went out with the Park Service before dawn to help monitor turtle crawls on the beach. There were two false crawls, but no nests or eggs. In the afternoon she opened the lighthouse so visitors could step inside and hear stories about the structure, the keepers, their families, and the island. After supper she walked to the Fire Hall to help out at Bingo.

On the way home, about 10 pm, she tripped going up the steps at the schoolhouse. Gail, our health provider at the clinic, knew right away that Lou Ann had broken one or more bones. So, after immobilizing her wrist and arm (and an injection of heavy-duty pain medication), we headed for the ferry. The ferry personnel were waiting for us, and we left on the midnight boat. It was nearly 2 a.m. when we arrived at the hospital in Nags Head. The doctor and staff there were wonderful. (Lou Ann told them we were there because we were having a baby! I guess the pain meds were giving her an extra dose of humor.)

After more drugs and x-rays Dr. Nicole (I never heard her last name) set the bones (Lou Ann had broken her radius and ulna, near the wrist), and put on a splint (it seems more like a cast to me). After this ordeal the x-rays looked great.

We left the hospital about 6:30 in the morning, and arrived back home about 10.

By evening Lou Ann was ready to sell tickets and perform at the Wednesday night Opry! (If you see her out and about, please remind her to take her pain meds!)

Late yesterday afternoon (when we were trying to get some needed rest) I learned that a hacker had replaced our Village Craftsmen home page with a Turkish political rant. I couldn't deal with it then, but I came over to the office early this morning and got our web site back up and running as it's intended. I changed passwords and added some extra security, so I'm hoping it won't happen again.

Anyway...I hope our readers will understand why I didn't post anything on our journal yesterday, or earlier today!

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

Lighthouse Repairs

This summer volunteers (including Lou Ann) have been opening the base of the Ocracoke Lighthouse two hours every day (1 pm - 3 pm) to allow visitors a glimpse into the oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina. Although the public is not allowed to climb to the top (mainly for safety and maintenance reasons -- the structure was designed to accommodate a single lighthouse keeper, not the general public; and many structural members are rusty and deteriorating) visitors can peer up to the top, take photos, and learn some of the beacon's history from the volunteers.

Beginning sometime early next month the lighthouse will be closed for much needed interior maintenance. The metalwork on the spiral steps will be restored, the walls and cast iron supports will be painted, and new lightning protection will be installed. As part of the restoration work the light in the 4th order Fresnel lens will be extinguished sometime soon, and the lighthouse will remain dark for about two months. The light is still considered an aid to navigation, and the US Coast Guard, which maintains the beacon, has issued a notice to mariners.

So, if the light in the lighthouse is not operating when you visit the island, please understand that the situation is only temporary, and our beloved lighthouse will be fully functioning again, and in better repair, soon.


Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

Answers

A reader posted a comment on yesterday's journal asking two questions. The first asked about our new island radio station. Information about the station (including a link to listen on the web) is available here: http://www.wovv.org/

The second question asked about how our beach changes from day to day. The reader mentioned that some beach communities "groom" portions of shoreline to create people-friendly areas. As he or she guessed, no such intervention is done on Ocracoke. Generally speaking, however, Ocracoke beach (and not just the lifeguard area) is very people-friendly. We can have small, gently rolling waves, or more powerful (great for body-surfing) rollers, but typically the seafloor slopes gradually, making it ideal for families and very care-free swimming. Sometimes, of course, sand bars form, and there might be a deeper trough between the beach and the outer bar where the largest breakers meet their first obstacles. Once in a while a pool of water (maybe three feet deep or so) will get trapped higher up on the beach after exceptionally high tides.

There are reasons for caution however. Ocean swimming is very different from pool swimming, and everyone (parents especially) should never be complacent. Currents change frequently, and rip currents can form unexpectedly. They pose the greatest threat to beach goers. Information about rip currents (how they form, how to recognize them, and what to do if you're caught in one) is available here: http://www.eenaproject.com/. The ocean is powerful and deserves your full respect!


Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

Sunday

This is a good day to curl up with a good book. I think it's going to be a tad warmer than yesterday, but it's only in the upper 70s right now. And the sky is overcast. Weekends (contrary to what many people think) are the slowest days on Ocracoke. Saturdays and Sundays are change-over days for most cottages, both here and farther up the Banks. So the village is generally quieter on weekends. Sundays are good days for islanders to relax a little, maybe go to the beach, bike around the village, sit a spell on the Community Store porch, or just stay home and read. I might do it all!


Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

Women's Arm Wrestling

This is a belated post, but I wanted to say a few words about an island event that was the talk of the village a few weeks ago. Unfortunately I missed the Ocracoke Island Women's Arm Wrestling Competition (it was on a Friday evening, so it conflicted with our Ghost & History Walk). Jenny Scarborough organized the event as a benefit for the island's new radio station. By all accounts it was a huge success. People were talking about it everywhere I went. Apparently most of the women showed up in elaborate and creative costumes, and the crowd roared during each competition as if it were a major sporting event. Congratulations are in order to "Carm the Arm" who vanquished all foes!

I certainly hope I'm able to attend next year.

Perhaps some of our readers who witnessed the competition will share a few words about that evening.


Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

More About Fireworks Disaster Fund

At this time the principle fund I am aware of to aid the families of the July 4th fireworks disaster is the one I mentioned yesterday. I am not aware of any separate Ocracoke Island fund. Since all proceeds of the following fund will go to the victims' families there is probably no reason to establish another one.

Please send any contributions to:

The Ocracoke Fireworks Disaster Fund
c/o The Lord's Table
P.O.Box 11049
Goldsboro, NC 27532

Our local eastern North Carolina news station continues to post updated information about Saturday's blast and its aftermath. You can read the latest information here:

http://www.witn.com/home/headlines/49925577.html

Cool

With windows and doors flung open, and a gentle breeze traipsing through the house, we have been enjoying the near-perfect July weather. Right now it's about 72 degrees, with the forecast calling for temperatures reaching just into the upper 70s later today.

Lou Ann & I are planning on taking Lachlan to the sound for some swimming early this afternoon. I imagine the air will feel a bit cool, but the sun should be shining, and that will make our excursion more than mildly pleasant. It is so rewarding to see the broad smile on Lachlan's face when he's cavorting in the water.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

Fireworks Disaster Fund

Members of the Ocracoke community are working to establish a fund to benefit the one survivor and families of the four people killed in Saturday's explosion. More information continues to surface that will help the people of Ocracoke determine the best course of action. A final decision may not be made until early next week.

In the meanwhile a fund has been established at the Lord's Table Church in Goldsboro where several of the workers attended. I do not know exactly how this money will be dispersed. I understand that more information is available by calling 919-751-8188. Checks may be made payable to The Ocracoke Fireworks Disaster Fund and may be mailed to:

The Ocracoke Fireworks Disaster Fund
c/o The Lord's Table
P.O.Box 11049
Goldsboro, NC 27532

At this time I do not know if an Ocracoke Island fund will be combined with this fund, or if it will be separate. I will post the information as soon as it is available.

According to news sources, Charles Kirkland, Jr, 49, was killed in the explosion.

Three others died later in hospitals. They were Terry Holland, 49; Mark Hill, 21; and Lisa Simmons, 41.

Martez Holland, 27, survived the blast, and is being treated for burns over 20% of his body.

The people of Ocracoke continue to grieve over this tragic loss of life and serious injury.

Beach Day

Yesterday afternoon was the perfect beach day. Amy, David, Lachlan, & I went out about 2 o'clock. Lifeguard beach had quite a few people, including 3rd - 6th graders with the Ocracoke Youth Center. Everyone was having such a great time. There was a minor drop-off not too far from the water's edge, but very little current. So we all had a big pool with fun-sized waves. The "pool" was over Lachlan's head, so mostly he stayed in the shallower area and ran & jumped in the waves with a big infectious smile. What a wonderful place to raise a four year old!

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

Past & Present

About a week ago a distant cousin stopped by to share family history and stories. We chatted for over an hour. Much of the conversation revolved around events from the past. I was reminded of a conversation I had with a neighbor several years ago. We were talking about an altercation that took place on one of the docks. A friend stopped to listen. After several minutes he realized we were talking about something that had happened in the 1930s. "It's so weird," he said. "When I hear Ocracokers in animated conversation, I can never be sure if what they're talking about happened just this afternoon, or a hundred years ago."

Getting back to the present -- what a beautiful day this is...bright, sunny, and warming up after a cool evening. I'd better go home and cut my grass before it gets too hot. Maybe Lachlan will want to go out to the sound with me this afternoon for a hour or so of swimming.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

Off-Island

I was off-island yesterday for my 6-month dental check-up, and to renew my driver's license. We left at 7:30 am to catch the 8 o'clock ferry, and returned home on the 8 pm ferry. It was a long trip (and hardly a pleasure outing...though it was reassuring to hear that my teeth are in pretty good shape...and we did take time to tour the Elizabeth II in Manteo), but it provided an opportunity for some distraction from Saturday's tragedy.

Waiting in the ferry line with other islanders last night we did learn a few more details about the explosion. And Warner has provided a web address with a report on the four people who were killed in the accident. You can read that here:

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/5506069/

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

Frisco Jubilee

Yesterday evening at 7:30 the Ocracoke United Methodist Church hosted a variety of musicians from Hatteras & Ocracoke Island for a performance of upbeat, spirited music. The event had been planned for several months. It was a fund raiser for renovation to the Methodist Church's recreation building.

As it turned out, the show was a welcome opportunity for islanders to turn their attention, for an hour and a half, away from Saturday's tragedy, toward more uplifting thoughts. It was truly a beautiful show featuring outstanding vocals and amazing picking & fiddling. The audience was dazzled by some of the best talent on the Outer Banks.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

Update

Ocracoke Island's Independence Day "parade" was a solemn affair this afternoon. There were only a few entries (a couple of fire trucks, a few horses, one antique automobile, and several other vehicles), and everyone was subdued. But at the NPS parking lot Joyce Reynolds, pastor of the Ocracoke United Methodist Church, spoke briefly about the grief and loss from yesterday's explosion, the island's sense of community, and the bravery and dedication of our volunteer fire fighters, emergency medical technicians, doctors, nurses, and other responders . Sam Garris, pastor of the Ocracoke Assembly of God, read a passage of scripture and offered a brief prayer. Sundae, Jamie, & Gary led the gathering in singing the National Anthem, and, later, God Bless America.

Volunteers passed around a fire fighter's boot to collect donations for the families of the five workers who died or were injured in the explosion Saturday morning. There has been so much to think about in the last thirty-two hours that no local organized effort has yet surfaced to provide assistance to the one survivor and the families. When I learn of a fund or an address to which to send donations I will post it here. I understand that the lone survivor is now listed in fair condition.

Memorial

According to the latest information I have, in lieu of a parade the Ocracoke community has scheduled a silent memorial walk/ride starting at 3 PM today. It will follow the original parade route. Anyone is welcome to join.

At this time no one knows what ignited the explosives. However an islander close to the scene who was acquainted with the workers said that all of the workers were extremely safety conscious.

A Somber Day

Islanders are still in shock over yesterday's tragedy. According to word around the village four of the five workers unloading the fireworks truck have now died, and the fifth person is in critical condition. Fire fighters, emergency workers, doctors, nurses, and others involved with the aftermath are struggling to deal with the situation.

I understand that regular ferry service to the island has now resumed, and that memorials for the dead and injured may be scheduled for later in the day. I'll post more information as it becomes available.

Explosion Photos

Lou Ann took these photos about 9 am this morning, immediately after the blast:

Explosion

Lou Ann was out and about this morning taking photos when the fireworks truck exploded (see earlier post). She has a number of pictures I will post later today.

You can click on the following link for a local web report with more information and photos:

http://www.witn.com/home/headlines/49925577.html

Tragedy

I was sitting at my kitchen table about 9 o'clock this morning, putting the final touches on the banner for our parade float, when the house shook from the blast of a huge explosion. I ran to the front porch just in time to see a gigantic plume of white smoke rise up from the direction of the old Coast Guard Station. "Oh no!" I thought, "it's the fireworks."

This is what I've learned so far from what I've seen, and from news circulating on the street: Workers were unloading the truck carrying the fireworks, when it exploded. I've heard that at least one person was killed, and several are seriously injured. At least four emergency helicopters flew to the island to evacuate the injured. According to neighbors, no islanders or vacationers were among the dead or injured.

The exploding fireworks set the vegetation on fire between the Coast Guard Station (NCCAT) and the ditch (the entrance to the harbor), but our fire fighters were able to extinguish the blaze.

Ferries from the mainland were sent back since emergency vehicles, personnel, and helicopters were occupying the roadways and parking areas around the ferry slips. I also heard that Hatteras ferries were shut down until sometime later today.

I have had no word about any of the Independence Day celebrations.

I will write more as I get other information. For now, everyone is in shock, and feeling deep sadness for the injured and dead.

July 4

Happy Independence Day to all of our readers!

You can read more about our Declaration of Independence here:

http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration.html

And you can read about our Constitution here:

http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution.html

And the Bill of Rights here:

http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights.html

These are wonderful words that have served us well for more than two centuries. May we continue to cherish the ideals expressed in these documents.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

Floats & Clams

I decided to get a head start on our 4th of July float yesterday afternoon (most years we put it all together on the morning of the 4th). I gathered the cardboard, box cutter knife, magic marker, & spray paint...and got to work. By 4 pm I realized I'd better put everything away and start opening the clams I had gathered the day before. There were fewer than three dozen, but they were just the right size for appetizers...clams on the half shell, topped with bacon, a little white wine, & Parmesan cheese. Amy & David & Lachlan came over, and we turned on the mini lights on the back porch. Lou Ann put bottles of beer in a bucket of ice and arranged crackers on a big plate. When I brought the appetizers out of the oven we settled down in comfortable chairs and savored each tasty clam.

I thought I might go back to working on the float, but we decided to join friends on a sunset cruise on the schooner Windfall instead. We never even fixed dinner.

I'll finish the float today (or tomorrow).

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

Clamming

I was catching up on paperwork (reconciling bank statements, and such) yesterday when Capt. Rob came by and asked if I wanted to go clamming. There was no contest. I changed into my swim trunks, slathered on some sun screen, and gathered up my clam rake and floating basket. Rob had his three year old daughter, Mariah Daisy, with him, and I thought Lachlan might enjoy tagging along. But he already had plans to meet some other children on the Sound. So it was just the three of us.

The water was warm...and peaceful. As we pushed our rakes across the sandy bottom we watched gulls and pelicans glide by overhead. Crabs scurried past us now and then, and off in the distance we watched the Cedar Island ferry as it made its way across Pamlico Sound.

We didn't get many clams. Just enough to make "clams casino" appetizers. But, really, we were out there as much for the natural therapy as for the prospect of collecting dinner. And we weren't disappointed.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.

Telephones, Gypsy Wagon, & Fig Cake

Recently I've received several questions that I'll answer briefly here:

• When did the telephone arrive on the island and where was the switchboard operator's office?

Ocracokers got their first telephones in 1956. There was no local switchboard. All calls were routed by radio tower (basically a ship to shore radio system) to the mainland. Maybe I'll write more about telephones in a future Ocracoke Newsletter.

• Can you tell us a bit about the gypsy wagon behind the Village Craftsmen?

I built the gypsy wagon about 20-25 years ago. It is fitted out like a camper inside, but it hasn't been on the road in many years. Don't ask why I built it. It would be like asking an artist why she paints a picture, or asking a musician why he writes a song.

• How about a picture of one of the classic fig cakes?

If I can remember, the next time I bake a fig cake I'll take a photo. For my money, there's nothing tastier than an Ocracoke Island fig cake!

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the second half of my father's short journal. I call it Remembering Growing up on Ocracoke. You can read it here.